Stearns: Chu should quit

The chairman of the House Energy and Commerce subpanel investigating Solyndra on Thursday afternoon called for Energy Secretary Steven Chu to be fired.

“I think it’s ultimately the president’s decision,” said Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.). “But ultimately there has been a legal subordination which I think has been brought up. I think the secretary is unaware of so many things that have happened that would question his financial ability and his management of very complex corporations.

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“So I just think he has failed the test,” he added.

Stearns also invoked Dan Carol, the research director of the 2008 Obama campaign who sent an email in February to White House counselor Pete Rouse, who suggested a DOE shakeup that included removing Chu.

“And I agree with Dan Carol’s email that at this point that he probably should be replaced by the president,” Stearns said.

Shortly before Stearns's remarks, Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) told Chu during the Energy and Commerce hearing that he didn't think the secretary should be asked to leave.

“I’ve been asked a half-dozen times today whether I think you should resign, and I’ve said every time I don’t think you should resign,” Barton said.

But Barton said that based on the release last week of Carol's email, he thinks someone in the Obama administration may be trying to throw Chu under the bus.

“I do think you’re a man of integrity. I think you’re trying to do your job as best that as you can. I also happen to believe that it's possible you're being set up to be the fall guy,” Barton said.

Barton said Chu was “culpable” for DOE’s February 2011 decision to change the terms of Solyndra’s loan so that private investors could get paid back before the government if the company went belly up.

DOE attorneys, Chu responded, found that the change in the terms of the loan was within the bounds of the 2005 Energy Policy Act and gave the government the best chance to get paid back by keeping Solyndra afloat.

Facing calls for Chu to go earlier this week, White House spokesman Eric Schultz replied, “Secretary Chu has the president’s full confidence and we are all proud of his tenure as secretary of Energy. Under his leadership, we are on track to double the generation of renewable energy from sources like wind and solar, we are taking steps to ensure that we can continue to develop our domestic resources safely and responsibly, while working to increase our nations clean energy share from other sources like natural gas, nuclear power, and clean coal.”

This article first appeared on POLITICO Pro at 2:53 p.m. on November 17, 2011.